grow older better

Tag: sleeping

  • 5 Stress Busters

                             Are you stressed?

     

    Or are you among the rare 25% of Americans who are not greatly stressed at least once a week?  [A number down from 45% about 25 years ago.]

    Why we have so many more people feeling stressed these days has been attributed to factors such as job concerns, crime, changing societal and religious practices, etc.

    I am not sure what stresses you, but I do know that the two reasons most people do not sleep well at night are worries about their health and their finances.

    And I also know that lack of adequate sleep is one major cause of stress and that stress is a major cause of health problems.

    A caveat – some stress is good for us – it can be motivating.  This is about that great stress that can be harmful.

    Stress takes one on a cycle of – well – more stress.

    The cycle goes like this:

    • worry about health and money
    • sleep less well
    • get more stressed
    • get stress-related illnesses
    • worry more about health
    • sleep even less well
    • get even more stressed
    • and so on…..

    Here are 5 ways to start reducing your stress:

    1 – you must get adequate sleep

    How?

    • going to bed at the same time every evening
    • not watching TV in bed
    • not having an argument before bedtime
    • not reading murder mysteries at bedtime
    • no late night eating – except maybe a glass of warm milk

    2 – you must exercise

    I know it's harder to exercise when you are stressed. So think of daily small things you can do that make your body move.

    • stairs instead of elevators
    • walking more
    • jumping jacks.
    • hopping or running in place in your house while watching TV or listening to the radio

    3 – you must eat properly

    4 – you have to socialize

    5 – And the hardest for many – you must earn more income

    To read the specifics for stress busters 3, 4 and 5  – please read my article 5 Stress Busters and return here to chat about it and the stress busting methods you use.

     

     

  • Stress and Women

    If you are a woman, you are most likely not getting enough sleep – or enough exercise.

    Why?  Because, in spite of any changes in our cultures, women still have the most responsibilities.  And when pinched for time, women forgo sleep and exercise.  I know – because I do this too – for me it's the exercise….if I get busy, I don't go to the gym – knowing full well that any intention of "working out" at home – is really a feeble excuse to skip the work out entirely.

    From a National Sleep foundation Study we learn:

    "… that when pressed for time, one half of women responded that sleep (52 percent) and exercise (48 percent) were the first things sacrificed.

    But when women were tired or ran out of time, 39 percent also reduced the time they spent with friends and family, 37 percent stopped eating healthily and 33 percent stopped having sex with their partner. '

    Read the full article Stress and Women

    and return here to comment and discuss

    Thank you